Tire deflator



l ivi A f Oct. 21 1924. 1,512,645

w. A. SMITH TIRE DEFLATOR Filed Jan. 8. 1924 Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFIF'ICE..A

WILLIS A.. SMITH, OF SAN ANGELO, TEXAS, .ASSIGNOR 0F YONE-'.E-IAlrlE 'IO (MRS.) M. A.

MONROE SMITH, OF SAN ANGELO, TEXAS.

TIRE DEFLATOR.

Application led January 8, 1924.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIS A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Angelo, in the county of Tom Green and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire Deflators, of which the following vis a specilication.

The present invention consists of an improvement in caps for the valve stems of pneumat-ic tires and has for a primary object to provide a cap which is movable in part to release the air valve o-f the tire and permit free egress and ingress of air without the necessity of removing the cap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cap of simple construction which is threaded in the usual manner on the valve stem and is suitably formed to receive a protective cap which excludes the entrance of dust or other extraneous materials.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of the present preferred form of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings where- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a cap constructed in accordance with this invention illustrating its application;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the cap per se.

In order to illustrate the application of this invention a portion of a wheel felly 5 is shown through which a valve stem 6 extends in the usual way. The free end of the valve stem is reduced and screwthreaded as indicated at 7 The cap constructed in accordance with the present invention is generally designated 8 and consists of a cylindrical body portion 9 having internal screw-threads which complement and are engageable with the threaded end 7 of the valve stem 6. The outer end of the cap issues into a barrel portion 10 in which aligning T-shape slots 11 are formed. The diameter of the barrel 10 is lesser than the diameter of the body 9 and is provided with external screw-threads 12 at the juncture of the body 9 and barrel 10. Slidably mounted in the barrel 10 Serial No. 685,023.

are a pair of telescopically arranged tubes 13 and 14. The tube 13 is relatively smaller in diameter than the tube 14 and has one end mounted within the latter but is secured from movement therein by a pin 15 which extends through the tubes 13 and 14, at the juncture of the latter, and has the terminals thereof projected beyond the outer periphery of the tube 14 for engagement in the slots 11. A coil spring 16 surrounds the inner tube 13 and has one end thereof engaged with the outer end of the cap body 9 and the opposite end engagedwith the inner end of the tube 14. In this way,

the tubes 13 and 14 are normally held in an outermost position, outward movement thereof being limited by the pin 15 which engages the outer terminals of the slots 11. The outer terminal of the tube 14 is provided with recesses 17 to permit the free end of said tube 14 to capacitate as a wrench for rotating the valve element 18 in the stem 6. The inner end of the tube 13 is equipped with a cross bar 19 which is adapted to bear on the valve element 18 to urge the latter inwardly when the tubes 13 and 14 are moved inwardly in the cap body 9.V Furthermore, the tube 13 is provided with perforations 20 to permit ingress and egress of air.

From the above it will be apparent that if a tire is to be deflated, pressure may be exerted upon the tube 14 which correspondingly moves the tube 13 inwardly to bring the bar 19 in engagement with the valve element 18 to thereby unseat the valve and permit the outlet of air in an obvious manner. It is unnecessary to hold the tube 14 inwardly since it can be locked from outward movement, against the resistance of the spring 16, by turning the tube when it is in an innermost position to thereby urge the terminals of the pin 15 into the terminals of the heads of the slots 11. If desired, the tire may be inflated when the tube is in this position or the cap may be removed and the air hose applied directly to the stem 6 in a manner well known in the art. In order to prevent the entrance of dust or other extraneous materials into the cap 8 and valve stem 6 a protective closure 21 is provided the inner end of which has internal screwthreads formed therein which are engageable with the external screw-threads 12 of the cap 8.

The device of the present invention is so constructed that it may be used on standard types of valve stems, or if desired may be used 0n valve stems of especial construction. It is to be understood, however, that I am not limited to the exact structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings and that modifications may be made therein especially in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts Within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is Y l. A cap for the valve stem of pneumatic tires including a cap body engngeable with the valvestem and equipped with a concentric tube, a spring normally holdingr said tube spaced from said stern, and un abutment mounted in said tube and movable against the resistance of Said spring to release the valve in the valve stem.

2. In combination with a vulve stem for pneumatic tires equipped with a normally seated valve, a cap for said stem includingr tubular means slidably mounted iu said cap for engagement with said valve to unseat the latter, and a spring encircling said means to normally hold the latter outwardly from engagement: with the valve.

WILLIS A. sMiTliin 

